He was known as the Godfather of Soul, an entertainer, an entrepreneur, a civil-rights activist and one of the most influential musicians in the 20th century. He would become a pop icon, and musical legend. His name was James Brown.

Brown had a voice and a sound that would change the history of music forever. His live performances became burned into the popular imagination. Images of him tilting his microphone and wailing would become one of America's most imitated movements, incorporated by performers ranging from Elvis Presley to contestants on "American Idol."

"You can't compare James Brown. He's on a whole other level. His creativity, you can't measure that," says sound technician Chris Usita, who has been in the music industry for more than three decades.

Brown's unique rhythmic style would come to start the evolution of gospel and blues into soul and funk. From soul and funk emerged hip-hop, R&B, dancehall and reggae. His music would be sampled by thousands of DJs from around the world, as well as some of the most respected musicians in the industry.

"He was the music industry's hardest-working man. That's why I chose the monogram 'Mr. Brown presents,' because I wanted it to reflect his work ethic," says Chris Kahunahana, who worked as "Mr. Brown" while a promoter in San Francisco, and now co-owns the nightclub NextDoor in Honolulu.

"He stood up for Black Power before it was popular. He said 'I'm black and I'm proud'; that was huge. I respect him for what he did as someone who stood for civil rights, not just as a musician," Kahunahana said.

Brown faced his share of problems and demons, too, encountering racism on the performance circuit, marrying and divorcing. The Georgia-born man found escape with drugs and alcohol. His personal problems would haunt him until his death last year on Christmas Day at age 70.

"He was a crazy and eccentric man. As far as his vocal abilities were concerned, maybe he wasn't the best singer. It was what he was saying and how he was saying it," Usita said.

"You can't appreciate the presence of music without knowing what laid the foundation for it," says DJ Eskae from the Nocturnal Sound Krew, aka Steve Kanemoto. One of Honolulu's most well-known DJs, Eskae has spun in nearly every nightclub in town, as well as at social galas, from the Honolulu Academy of Arts to North Shore surf events.

Eskae and fellow DJ Jahson the 45Revolver will host a special tribute event for James Brown at Jazz Minds tomorrow night, Christmas Eve.

"To know where music is going, you have to know where it came from," Eskae said. "People can't forget James Brown because he was such a significant musician."

The event will feature an array of musicians who have laid down the groundwork for hip-hop and R&B — artists such as Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Lyn Collins and of course, James Brown. Consider it a memorial to the founding fathers of a musical genre.

Lacy Matsumoto is a freelance writer and founder of Urban Pacific, a seasonal fashion and entertainment event hosted by NextDoor.

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